This invention relates to central vacuum cleaning systems, and more particularly to a debris-collecting dustpan apparatus that is arranged for built-in mounting in various areas of the house and connection to the central vacuum cleaning system for operation of the latter to effect pickup and discard of dust and debris swept to the dustpan member simply and easily with a broom.
Home central vacuum cleaning systems are well known in the art and one gaining increased popularity in new house construction. Typically, a main power unit and debris receptacle is maintained at a remote point in a house, usually in the garage, the vacuum unit servicing a number of wall receptacles through pipe ductwork, the wall receptacles removably receiving a hose which mounts a vacuum cleaner-type wand which in turn mounts desired floor, furniture or brush attachments. Provision is made so that each wall receptacle automatically seals when not in use, so that full suction will be provided to a particular receptacle that is in use at the time. Without this provision, the entire central vacuum cleaning system would be rendered inoperable because there would not be adequate suction at the wand for suitable vacuuming. Accordingly, any attachment or end piece for a central vacuum cleaner system must necessarily be configured to close into a sealed condition when not in use so that the rest of the central vacuum system can be operated.
Vacuum-operated dustpan-type units have been provided heretofore, the most relevant devices being illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,027,587 and '588 and Canadian Patent No. 675,552, all issued to the Canadian inventor H. Bierstock. However, each of these patents teach puzzlingly complex constructions that are arranged to automatically extend and retract telescopic nozzle members into and out of specially designed storage compartments beneath specially designed cabinetry.
Thus, while central vacuum cleaning systems have long been recognized for their benefits in eliminating the need for using, maintaining and storing conventional vacuum cleaners, and the nuisances of lugging them throughout a house between electrical outlets that are invariably hidden behind furniture and such, and require frequent filter bag replacements to maintain optimum performance, etc., it has also been discovered that it can also be a nuisance in the case of a central vacuum cleaner system to have to constantly contend with the long length of hose and returning it to storage in dealing with simple and frequent jobs of cleaning up after spills and in high traffic areas like kitchens, laundry rooms, entryways etc. that accumulate debris much faster than other areas of the house. In these instances, one normally uses a broom and a dustpan, which involves bending and stooping, manually discarding collected debris, and over time, invariably an extremely dusty storage closet that eventually collects the dust particles that remain on the dustpan after use. There is therefore seen a need for a convenient, economical, stationary dustpan-like attachment that is operable with a central vacuum cleaning system that may be installed, for example, in a kitchen, an entryway, a laundry room, a garage and the like and configured so that the dustpan may be operated to activate the central vacuum cleaning system so that as debris on a floor or counter is simply swept toward the dustpan member, the debris will be drawn into the dustpan member and hence, through the piping to the central vacuum debris receptacle, making the minor cleanup job as simple and quick as possible for the home owner.